Dart fan Mike hits bullseye
A DARTS enthusiast is offering customers the chance to ‘play before they pay’ after launching his dream specialist shop.
Michael Pearson has taken over one of the units in the Victorian Arcade on Warner Street in Accrington and has begun selling a wide range of darts equipment at ‘9 Dart Finish’.
Michael, 52, allows his customers to actually test out the darts in store on his own dartboard, something he believes is unique in the area.
He added: “Thousands of people are using darts that aren’t right for them.
“People have been pleasantly surprised that I am coming up to them and say ‘this is how you can throw this’.
“They are absolutely stunned that I will spend time with them.”
A keen darts player and competitor, Michael has been throwing arrows since the age of 14, learning the skills in his dad Jack’s pub The Arden Inn on Abbey Street in the 1970s and 80s.
The former builder’s merchant now plays in teams in Blackburn, Ramsbottom and Bury.
After 38 years’ experience Michael, who lives in Accrington, is able to use his know how to offer advice on people’s throw and technique as well as finding the right dart for them.
He said: “When people come in I can advise them, I can help them with their throw and I correct any silly mistakes.
“It’s quite a personal thing with darts, you can’t just pick any one up and throw it, you have to have the right one that works for you.
“There are young lads around here who have just started playing and they think I am like a guru. It’s very positive.”
The father-of-three opened the shop in June, and admitted that some people thought he was ‘crazy’ to be going into such a niche market, but says business in the arcade is picking up steam nicely.
He said: “People have come past and said ‘why on earth have you opened a darts shop?’, but I am doing it because I believe in the need.
“I did sell the equipment on eBay but I got to a stage where people were asking me if I could come round to their house and look at things.
“I looked at this unit and, they are doing really well, the units are really filling up.
“We are really trying to make a good go of it in the arcade. It’s been good so far.”
» » See next week’s Observer for the full interview with the Arcade’s traders.